The year 2016 is winding down, slowly but surely. With the inevitable coming of a new year, you have to ask yourself a question; are you ready to adapt to all the changes and challenges today’s world will throw at you? For those with an online presence, this brings the issue of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to the forefront. Today’s increasingly digitized and interconnected world makes effective SEO essential to the continued success of any enterprise. Last year’s statistics put the figures of average monthly web searches in the U.S. alone at 12 billion, and it has only increased since then.

Here are a few tips to help you get the visibility, traffic, and credibility your business will need to stay well ahead of the curve this coming year.

1.Effective video content

A recent report by Marketing Land stated that up to 62% of all Google searches worldwide were video related. Moreover, Google itself has started paying more attention to search results that provide both text and video (blended). Marketers have always known that engaging videos are a great way to catch and hold your audience’s attention, and in the world of SEO, that knowledge is more relevant than ever.

Boost your rankings and add value to your site by spicing up your web page with an engaging video.

2.Social media

Search Engine Result Pages have steadily been reflecting the increasing importance of content originating from social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, among other. This trend doesn’t look as though it will stop anytime soon. For you, this means that to maintain and even raise your relevance and visibility, beefing up your social media presence and marketing efforts is crucial.

3.Content aggregation

Everybody is in a hurry these days. In the online environment, this reality is magnified tenfold. Owing to the sheer vastness and variety of the online landscape, getting a hold of an individual’s undivided attention is a tall order. This reality is frustrating to people browsing the web as well because all the different sites and pages calling for their attention make things a lot harder for them. The most elegant solution is content aggregation. Should you be able to provide people with a site at which they can authoritatively get all the information they need, your credibility and ranking online will be tremendously boosted.

4.Localized SEO

SEO localization has shown a steady increase in relevance over the years. People want to know where you are. Placing location specific keywords and gearing your content basis towards the location of your target audiences will be a sure way to get your name at the top of the search engine results pages.

A good number of local searches lead to store visits and you can be sure that most business searches are made in hopes of finding local results. Get your business name, street name, address and such-like information onto your page. A local page listing will exponentially increase consumer engagement with your organization. Google knows this, and should you be looking to get your name up there, so should you.